Tagliatelle with Fresh Cranberry Bean Sauce
(Tagliatelle con Salsa di Fagioli Borlotti)
Ingredients:
3 cups shelled fresh cranberry beans (from 1 1/2?2 lbs. pods)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and chopped
One 2 and 1/2 ? 3 oz piece pancetta
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 branch each fresh rosemary, sage, and yarrow (optional), tied together with
kitchen twine
1 lb fresh Tagliatelle pasta
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
Heat 4 tbsp of the oil in a heavy medium pot over medium heat.
Add onions and pancetta and cook until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.
Add garlic and cook briefly.
Add bundle of herbs and tomatoes and cook for another 1?2 minutes.
Add beans and 3 cups cold water and bring to a simmer.
Reduce heat to keep an active but gentle simmer and cook, stirring occasionally,
until beans are soft, about 1 to 1 and 1/2 hours.
Remove and discard herb bundle and pancetta from pot.
Mash about one-third of the bean mixture with a potato masher to thicken sauce
and stir well into pot.
Season to taste with salt.
Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until 'al dente', about 4-5
minutes.
Drain and divide between 4-6 bowls.
Spoon bean sauce over pasta.
Drizzle with some of the remaining olive oil.
Season to taste with pepper. Serves 4-6.